Technology and Robust Economies Drive Rural Town Revival

Less than 30 years ago, the town of Osakis, its population vanishing year by year, made a bold offer that drew global headlines: a check for $5,000 to anyone willing to move in, build a house and stay awhile. In an era of rural decline, it was just one of many desperate measures by small towns whose prospects seemed bleak.

Today, Osakis — in central Minnesota near Alexandria — doesn’t need to pay people to stay. Population is at an all-time high, having grown by nearly 500 since those anxious days of the 1980s. The school system is adding a classroom’s worth of students each year. Main Street is almost full, and the sporting goods store is expanding its business by 25 percent a year. A craft distillery has grown from five 500-gallon fermenters to 29.

by: DAVID PETERSON , Star Tribune

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